Sunday’s Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) and Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) matchup ended exactly as the team’s previous five battles over the past four seasons. It ended with Harrison Butker’s 51-yard walk off field goal giving the reigning two-time Super Bowl champions a 26-25 win.
While the play on the field between the two heated rivals is always chippy, it was the chirping and trash talk all week, mainly by the Bengals that seemed to garner most of the attention.
Ja’Marr Chase Couldn’t Back Up Tough Talk Against KC Chiefs
Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and cornerback Cameron Taylor-Britt both made comments that were very likely used as bulletin board material by the Chiefs.
Leading up to Sunday’s early season tilt, Chase who’s been marred in a contract dispute with the Bengals, made a statement that just doesn’t carry any merit.
“Everybody knows that, too,” Chase said. IIt’s not if. We are the team to beat in the AFC. And we know it. And we gotta play like it, too.”
Chase made this statement despite the Bengals losing their season opener to the Patriots at home. He also let it be known that despite the opening week loss the Bengals were still a championship-caliber team.
“All that noise y’all are making and stuff, we see it, hear it,” he declared. “But we’re not worried about it, you know what I’m saying? At the end of the day, it’s about the team and what we’re doing on the field.
“The outside people are not on the field, telling us what to do on the field. I’ll let them stay outside and make their own comments.”
Based on Sunday’s result, it’s obvious that Chase wrote a check that his teammates couldn’t cash. Chase’s confidence heading into Sunday wasn’t blind, as the Bengals have had a ton of success against the Chiefs with Joe Burrow under center losing just once in four previous matchups prior to Sunday.
Chase Loses It
Chase let his emotions get the best of him in the fourth quarter when he didn’t get a call on what he believed was an illegal hip-drop tackle that’s been something league officials have been trying to rid of in the game. Following what he thought should’ve been a personal foul on Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, Chase berated the official which led to him being hit with a big unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. While the Bengals still managed to get a 53-yard field goal out of the drive, the penalty on Chase stalled any hopes of scoring a touchdown.
Chase Frustrated Over Contract
After declining a four-year, $140 million extension which would made him the highest-paid wideout in the league as early as last week, Chase says he has no plans to work on a deal in season. He says he’ll instead play out this season, his fourth, knowing the team picked up his fifth-year option (2025) in April.
